Howrah and Golabari police stations soon to come under CCTV surveillance

For the first time in all the five newly-set up police commissionerates, all nooks and corners of the areas that come under the jurisdiction of the two most important police stations in Howrah city will come under the coverage of surveillance cameras.

DP Singh, Commissioner of Howrah City Police, said: “The areas under the jurisdiction of Howrah and Golabari police stations are going to come under surveillance cameras. The project will be completed by the end of January. Around 100 CCTV cameras will be installed.”

Singh further said that all important locations and installations under Howrah City Police’s jurisdiction will be brought under surveillance camera coverage by the end of December this year.

Before Howrah Police Commissionerate, Kolkata Police had implemented the same plan – in collaboration with local residents – in the posh localities of Alipore, Burabazar and Posta. The move helped in easy detection of crime and also helped solve a murder case.

Howrah Station and the approach road to Howrah Bridge are under the jurisdiction of the abovementioned two police stations. There are sufficient numbers of CCTV cameras for coverage in both the important installations. The current initiative has been taken to ensure coverage of CCTV cameras in the remaining areas under the jurisdiction of the two police stations.

Important installations, including Howrah District Court, Howrah District Hospital, the district magistrate’s residence and office, headquarters of Howrah Municipal Corporation, other government offices and thousands of shops, schools and stadiums are covered under the jurisdiction of the police stations.

The police have approached the common people and made them understand how effective a CCTV camera is in reducing the rate of crime in a particular area.

It should be noted that a major portion of the jurisdiction of the two police stations is considered posh. Thus, the residents and businessmen have realised that surveillance through CCTVs will benefit them and have decided to work with the police.

The surveillance cameras will be monitored by dedicated police officers in the respective police stations. In case they find any untoward incident, personnel from the local police station will rush to the spot. It will reduce the reaction time. Moreover, footages of a crime scene will also help investigators.

All traffic intersections have already been brought under CCTV coverage. Instead of controlling it from one particular control room, monitoring of the footages has been decentralised.

Now, it gets monitored from seven traffic guards. Moreover, surveillance cameras that can read number plates of vehicles have been installed at all the 12 entry and exit points of the city.